7W late rifle hunts. Were you seeing much?

[daverp]

Just got back from the 7W late rifle cow hunt.  Did not see much.  Tag soup for my out of state buddy I was helping out.

I grew up in this unit.  Know it very well.  Have several glassing points in the PJ's to the west side of the unit which are our "go to" points, and have never failed us.  But with my interest in hunting U10 over the last 15 years, I'd not been back to 7W until last August for a trip with the son and granddaughter to our "family camp" that we've used over the last 45 years.

Did not see any elk back in August ,though we weren't glassing or scouting, just camping, predator calling, etc.   As the granddaughter had never seen an elk, we did a bit of driving around after dark in areas we'd typically see elk, and spotted nothing.

Fast forward to the late rifle cow hunt.  I get up there 2 days after the hunt started.  On way to camp that afternoon, a cow was standing in the road not far from our camp, and close to one of our great glassing points.  On Saturday afternoon went to my best spot.  Glassed up a group of 8 cows coming through right about sunset at 450 yards.  I figured "great, it's all the same, we'll get that tag filled for sure".

Buds got into camp Sunday evening.  Four days to hunt.  Those elk I spotted were the last elk we saw with the exception of two cows who just came into my best spot at last light at 400 yards.  Just a bit too dark for him to make out and confirm antlerless at that range, and he could not take a shot.

Glassed another great "go to" point with 360 degree views for miles.  Not a single elk moving.

Glassed a couple of the really cold mornings from the truck, glassing high.  Truck glassing necessitated by buddy with the tag having Raynaud's disease, and hands become unusable when they get too cold despite best efforts with heated gloves, hand warmers, etc.   But these spots have always been easy to see elk from as well.  Still nothing.

What we did see a lot of was deer.   Which is quite unusual for this area of 7W in my experience.  Saw or glassed up 6 different groups of deer in different areas.  

Anyone else experience the same?  Never had a problem on late rifle bull hunts here glassing up plenty of elk.  This last trip has me a bit shocked at the lack of activity at my best spots.

[DUG]

7W is my favorite elk unit. I had my first rifle tag soup on the bull hunt back in 2021. The day before the hunt, I saw 2 bulls feeding 150 yards from the truck. They never looked up. I really believe they know when a hunt is on. Between me, my son, my wife, my girls, and some friends, we've taken about 20 elk over 30 years in 7W. And to answer your question, yes, some years seem weird.

[Roofer Billy]

That's hunting unfortunately. 

[Eli]

Our hunt got cut way short by some vehicle issues, but yes. Very few elk, lots of deer.